Inverted pressurized dispensers



May 3, 1960 Filed Oct. 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZIFIIiItJllI g1 IIIU 51 mm L Wm H 56 Fig-Z Q) 4 57 INVENTOR.

RALPH H. THOMAS BY flTTURA/Ey 1950 R. H. THOMAS 2,935,232

INVERTED PRESSURIZED DISPENSERS Filed Oct. 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 b'xlllllll IIIIIM" 17 79 27 INVENTOR.

RALPH H. THOMAS BY ATTORNEY INVERTED rnnssumznn nisrENsEns Ralph H. Thomas, Rahwa NJZ, assigns; to Bristol- Myers Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Application Gctoher 20, 1958, Serial No. 768,279

4 Claims. (1. 222-162) This invention pertains to dispensers and more particularly to fluid-pressurized devices for dispensing fluid or pasty materials.

It is presently common practice to dispense materials in the form of liquids, lotions, creams, emulsions and liquid-solid suspensions from devices which contain, in addition to the materials to be dispensed, a pressurizing fluid such as nitrogen or hydrocarbon gases, such as butane and the like which are substantially insoluble in and non-reactive with the material to be dispensed. The most common form taken by such prior art devices is that of a container forming a reservoir for the material to be dispensed and having attached to a valved extremity thereof a dip tube extending into the container to a position adjacent the bottom whereby, when the valve is actuated, fluid pressure exerted upon the surface of the material to be dispensed forces the material outwardly through the dip tube and through a suitable discharge means attached to the valve.

An almost universal defect of such prior art devices is the virtual impossibility of evacuating all of the material from the container. invariably, a considerable portion of the quantity initially charged into the container is left as a residue after all pressurizing fluid has escaped. This incomplete evacuation is especially serious in dispensing highly viscous materials, in which case the residue frequently comprises as much as from percent to percent of the amount initially charged into the container. This residue, of course, represents an economic loss which should be avoided if possible. i 1

Various forms and modifications of dip tubes have been devised in efforts to obtain complete evacuation of pressurized fluid dispensers, but such devices seldom achieve complete evacuation and invariably add considerable cost to the dispenser. fluid dispensers in an inverted position is also known to the prior art. This procedure eliminates the necessity for a dip tube since, in such a position of the dispenser, material is disposed adjacent the valve." However, prior art inverted dispensers are generally of the wall-mounted type and accordingly involve the use of separate mounting means. vices to automatically eject the contents upon actuation of the valve in a specified manner as by means of a toothbrush. Until the present invention, there was absent from the art a convenient, easily manipulatable, selfcontained, self-supporting, non-dripping, inverted dispenser.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pressurized dispenser which can be substantially completely evacuated.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device for dispensing fluid or pasty materials from a container supported in an inverted position.

In accordance with the foregoing objects, a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a fluid dispenser comprising a container having an open end The practice of mounting pressurized They frequently also include cumbersome de,,.

and a normally closed valve mounted within the open I hermetic seal.

end. A hollow valve stem is secured to the valve and reciprocally movable to open the valve upon movement of the stem inwardly of the container against the valve. The container is charged with a quantity of a material to be dispensed together with a suitable pressurizing fluid. The dispenser also comprises a base member having a cavity or well for slidable reception therein of the container. The base is further provided with an elongated slideaway in which is reciprocally mounted a hollow sleeve open at one end to form a discharge spout and closed at the other end except for an aperture which is registerable with a passageway formed in the base and communicating with the well. Means are provided to detachably secure the valve stem of the container to the base with the bore of the stem in registration with the passageway therein, whereby depression of the'container' results in the dispensing of the contents of the container through the spout when the sleeve is in an open or discharge position.

Other novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a cut-a-way side elevation, partially in crosssection, of one embodiment of a dispenser constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the dis-= charge spout in an open position; g

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3 3- ofFig.l;.

Fig. 4 is an elevational viewxjsimilar tothat of Figfil but showing the discharge spout in a closed position;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken alongline 5- .5' of Fig. 4, the container being removed for the-sake o'f clarity;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of thedispenser illustrated in Figs. l5;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional elevation of a valve suitable for use with adispenser of the invention; 1

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional elevation of a valve stem 35? suitable for use with the valve illustratedin Fig. 7; and

Fig.- 9 is a cross-sectional elevation of the assembled valve and valve stem' illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 showingthe valve in an open position.

Referring now, in detail, to the drawings and particu larly to Fig. 1, the numeral "11 refers generally to a con tainer constituting a reservoir for a fluid or pasty material to be dispensed. The container may take any suit 1 able geometric configuration and may be 'constructed ofany suitable material such as metalfglass, plastic and the like. Containers having a circularhorizontalfcross section Y are generally preferred, primarilybecause ofcost con siderations incident to availability and ease of manu' facture, as well as ease of operation. 2' i The container ;may:be .formed with an open extremitywhich may be closed by any suitable means, such as a valve support, indicated generally'xby ;the numeral"1 2 (Fig. 7). The support 12 is provided wlitha peripheral flange 13 which may. be crimped 'aboutfthe 1ip of:the open extremity of the container 111 to effect a suitable-f Suitable valve means may be-mounted upon the valve support 12. -One embodiment of'a' suitable valve is'illustrated in Figs 7-9zwherein' the valvesupported 12 is provided with a-:valve casing 14. 'Upper" and lower diaphragms 16 and.17 respectively areinserted-= within the casing 17 and-thelatter'is then crim'ped, as

upper. diaphragm 16 is provided with 'a valve. stem cavitya 22 opening at one extremity to the exterior of the valve and, at the other extremity, having a portion 23 of expanded diameter, The; upper valve diaphragm 16 is.

further provided with a pair of slits 24 intersecting the.

stem cavity 22; A hollowv valve-stem, designated gen-; erally by the numeral 26; is, proyided (Figs. 8- and 9.)

having a flanged-extremity; 27: for engagement; with the,

displaced; inwardlyv of the container by the. exertion of.

pressureupon a free extremity 23. thereof, the flanged extremity-=27 of'the valve stem, bypressing downwardly. upon, the.: upper valve diaphragm 16 in the immediate vicinity .-of:the slits 24, deforms the material of the upper diaphragm 16insuch a manner asv to opentheslits.

The-upper valve, diaphragm 16 .may'be. formed of any suitable. resiliently de-formable'material which,'in an un stressed condition will maintain the slits 24. in a col-' lapsed or closed, position and; therebyprevent discharge.

' of fluid therethrough. Suitable materials include natural andsyntheticrubber and thelike. The. natural resiliency of. such materials causes the. valve stem to be returned" V ternally with aslideway37 extending. substantially trans.- versely of the upright sleeve 32. The housing 36- is alsoprovided with. a, passageway 38 communicating with the slideway-S? and-with the. well *34and extending substantially v alongthelongitudinal center line of the assembled container and holder 29. A portion of-the passageway-38 adjacent the well 34 is of an expanded diameter andis provided internally with suitable means for detachably securing the valve stem 26 therein. For example, the

valve stem may be provided-adjacent'the free extremitythereof with a circumferential groove-39 which, when the stem isinserted within the expanded vportionof the passageway. 38, snapsintoj engagement with :1 correspondingly shaped circumferential ridge 4-1v on the interior of: the passageway. For the purpose of effecting such a connection, and of assuring that such connection is pressure: tight, at least; one of 'thef cooperating structures, i.e., valve stem 26 or housing 36 is preferably made of a suitable. resiliently deformable material such as a; resilient,

plasticimaterial; for example, polyethylene.

A- hollow, sleeve, denoted; generally. by the numeral 42,

is sliably mounted within the slideway-37. tremity, of-the sleeve 42 is provided with a downwardly extending;- opening 43 constituting a spout for thedischarge, of the material. tobedispensed. The other extremity of the sleeve 42 isclosed except for an orifice 44 which, in an open discharge position of: the sleeve 42, registrable with thepassa'gewaySS. A detent 46 is formed on the sleeve .42; depends therefrom and rides-in a-slot] 47 formed-in the. housing 36; The detent 46 serves the.

purpose. of. -limi ting.thetravel of -the-sleeve 42 by engagingrthe left hand: 'end of the. slot; 47 in the most extended positionofthesleeve; (Fig- I). The extremity of the sleeve 42 adjacent he spout opening 43 is provided with a;

curyed; portion, 48;"which, in theaclosed position of -the sleeye, rests;- within. a correspondinglyshaped notch 49 fornl tiill afsjde -wall oft the housingl36; An end of 'th e;

curved-portion: 4.8-;proiects from thehousing 36 even in thet closed position of? the; sleeve (Figs; 4- and 6) and 3. i V '7 sleeve 42 and; tQrtr-aetl-it to. the open position thereo f;

I d-operation, the,.sleeve 42 pulled outwardly of -the housing 36 until2the detentn ldengages the heusing-36"atovideslimeans ."for. the operator to grasp the slits 24 and permitting the pressurized contents of the container to be discharged through the hollow-valve stem 26,,the passageway 38, through the hollow sleeved-2 and out the discharge spout opening43.

The'dimensions o'fthe various cooperating structural elements are determined in such a manner that suflicient V spacing is provided between the valve casing 14 and the housing 36 to permit actuation of, the valve. Although the natural resiliency of the material forming the upper valve diaphragm 16 is such as to cause the container to return to its original position upon the release of pressure therefrom, a more forceful return action can be achieved by inserting suitable spring meanssuch as a helical spring (not shown) between the container and the housing,3 6 so that opposite ends of thespring bear upon the housing 36 and the shoulder of the container 11.

The dispensers contemplated by the invention are suitable for dispensing materials of a wide variety of physical forms and are especially suited for dispensing relatively viscous, semi-fluid materials such as toothpastes. When used in dispensing such materials, a toothbrush, denoted by the-n'umeralSZ and illustrated in' dashed lines in Fig. 1, may beheld under the spout and toothpaste extruded, in ribbon form, upon the brush.

The dispensers of the, invention are also highly desirable in the dispensing of hand lotion, hair creams and other cosmetic items which are particularly difiicult to, evacuate from prior, art dispenser devices by reason of theirrelatively high viscosities. The dispensers of the invention are also useful in the dispensing of liquid of semi-liquid foods and condiments as well as liquid soaps, detergents and the like.

In addition to the mentioned advantages inherent in the dispensers of the invention is the fact that, despite the inverted position of the container, the, contents to be dispensed do not, as is the case with many, prior art devices, drip from the container during periodsofnon-use. Drippage is effectively prevented by pushing, the. sleeve 42 into a closed position during periods of 11011-1 56 Whereupon the discharge spout opening 43 is, retracted within thehousing 36 and the passageway 38, is closed' by the body of the sleeve 42, Consequently, even. accidental depression of thecontainer against, the valvestemwill not What is claimed isf 1. .A fluid dispenser comprising a valved pressurized container'containing a fluid to be dispensed and havinga hollow, dep-ress able valve-actuating stem projecting from one endfthereof, a container holder .comprisinga base and an upright sleeve having an openouter endand defining a.cayity forslidable reception; therein of said container, a housing provided with 'a slidewayflextending substantially transversely-of said sleeyeand a passageway extending substantially. along the longitudinal center line V of said support and intersecting said slideway, an clone gated hollow spout slidably mounted within said slideway,,

saidspout having a discharge port at one extremity thereof'and'an aperture registrable with said passageway mas es adjacent the other extremity thereof, and means to secure said stem to said housing in registration with said passageway whereby movement of said container inwardly of said sleeve actuates said valve to dispense the contents of the container when the aperture of the spout is registered with said passageway.

2. A fluid dispenser comprising a base having a Well therein, said base being provided with a passageway communicating with said well, said base being further provided with a slideway communicating at one end thereof with said passageway and at the other end with the exterior of said base, a hollow spout open at one extremity and reciprocably mounted within said slideway, said spout being provided at the other extremity thereof with an aperture registable, in an open position of the spout, with said passageway, a valved, pressurized, fluidcontaining container reciprocably mounted within said well and projecting partially therebeyond, hollow valveactuating means projecting from said container and secured to said base in registration with said passageway whereby when said container is pushed inwardly of said well and when said spout is in an open position fluid is dispensed from the open extremity thereof.

3. A dispenser comprising a pressurized fluid container, a valve in said container comprising a slitted disc of resiliently deformable material, the slits in said disc being normally closed to fluid egress, a base having a passageway therein, tubular connecting means reciprocably attached at one extremity to said container and bearing against said disc about said slits, said connecting means 30 being secured at the other extremity to said base in registration with said passageway, a slideway within said base and interconnecting with said passageway, a spout 3 slidably movable within said slideway and having an aperture registrable with said passageway whereby fluid may be dispensed by moving said container relative to said base thereby deforming said disc and spreading said slits to form fluid discharge channels.

4. A dispenser comprising a container containing a paste to be dispensed and a pressurizing fluid, one end of said container being provided with a valve which is normally closed and openable by application thereto of pressure inwardly of the container, a base having formed therein a fluid passageway and a slideway interconnecting therewith and substantially normal thereto, an upright sleeve on said base for slidable reception therein of the valved end of the container, hollow stem means reciprocably attachd to said container and having one extremity bearing upon said valve, the other extremity of said stem being secured to said base about said passageway, an apertured spout slidably mounted in said slideway, said spout being retractable within said base and extendable therebeyond to a dispensing position wherein the aperture of said spout is in registration with said passageway whereby paste may be dispensed by applying pressure to said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 798,163 Carter Aug. 29, 1905 999,602 Slee Aug. 1, 1911 1,529,388 Brant Mar. 10, 1925 2,557,917 Schlesinger June 19, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 27,209 Netherlands June 15, 1953 

